THE ILFORD MURDER

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 89, 11 January 1923, Page 6

THE ILFORD MURDER

EXECUTION OF BYWATERS AND

MRS. THOMPSON

BOTH REAFFIRM THEIR INNOCENCE

BY TELEGBAPH.—PEKSS ASSOCIATION. —COBYBIOHT.

London, January 9.

Mrs. Thompson and Bywaters made no statment before their execution. Both had previously reaffirmed their innocence. Airs. Thompson told the chaplain: “I leave the world with a clear conscience regarding my husband’s death.”

Largo crowds gathered outside Holloway and I’entonvillo prisons. A conspicuous figure at Holloway. where Airs. Thompson was hanged, was a woman carving a sandwich-board reading: “If tins woman is hanged, the Judge and jury are murderers also,” and on the other side: “Alurder cannot be abolished by murder.” Airs. Thompson was prostrate all night long, and continually under the doctor’s care. At 5 o’clock she was unconscious. In moments of consciousness she asked for Byw r aters. At 9, the hour of execution, she was only partially conscious, and had to be carried to the scaffold.Bywaters passed a fairly good night at Bentonville, awoke early, and breakfasted lightly and smoked a cigarette. He sent a message of thanks to the Governor and officials. He walked (irmly to thes caffold. It is stated that "the crowd outsideJPentonville was unprecedented. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.